The Microsoft Browser Ballot screen will begin arriving in Europe this week, but according to a YouGov survey commissioned by Mozilla, 77% of Britons don't know it is coming. Microsoft announced its plans to provide a choice of browser, as required by the European Commission, last week. The ballot will be delivered to Windows computers by means of a software update and will prompt users that they have "An important choice to make" before offering a randomised selection of alternative browser choices.

Microsoft's Browser Ballot screen
Source: Microsoft
Mozilla has found that, according to a survey of 2,000 adults carried out by YouGov, 77% of UK adults don't know about the ballot. The result emphasises the problem that although browser vendors have convinced the European Commission to get Microsoft to build the browser ballot screen, they have yet to get the message that there will be a choice, across to the wider audience.

To address this, Mozilla has launched opentochoice.org, a site to explain the browser choice screen and to encourage people to discuss browser choice. Mozilla's CEO, Mitchell Baker, said "Whether or not you decide to keep your current Web browser, we encourage you to learn more about your browser and the impact it has on the way you see the world, and to make your own choice." The site at the moment appears to only consist of a blog, with a posting plus a comment, and an option to sign up for future information by email.

Update - A video of Mozilla CEO John Lilly discussing the browser ballot has now been posted online. In the video, Lilly outlines the Microsoft European browser choice screen and speaks of the importance of browser choice for end users.